Lumber gauge



Alm; 12" l.1. sci-IERER 1624150 LUMBER GAUGE Filed March 2o. 1926 Patented Apr. 12, i927.

UltlTED STATES l JOHN SCHERER, OF MARINEITE, WSCONSN.

LUMBEn GAUGE.

Application tiled March 20, 1926. Serial No. 96,183.

This invention relates to gauges especially adapted for measuring the thickness of lumber. f

lt is the main object of the invention to 5 provide an extremely simple lumber gauge which may be easily manipulated with one hand to accurately obtain the thickness of a board when on a pile or when loosely disposed.

i My invention has for a` further object to pri'wide such a device capable of being readily held flush and parallel with the surface to be measured and provided with a plurality of graduated steps or shoulders especially adapted to receive the thumb or other linger of the operator whereby the thickness of the board on which applied can be readily determined.

It is a still further object of the invention to provid-e a lumber gauge having a iat body portion with means at its lower` longitudinal edge for engaging the under surface of a board to be measured and with a seri-es of graduated ledges or shoulders at its upper longitudinal edge and a handle member for holding the device in proper gauging position against an edge of the board.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which F ig. 1 is a perspective view showing the application of my device to a board,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, while Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same 40 applied to one of the edges of a board.

In the drawings a flat plate orbody member a is provided illustrated as having a straight edge an at one end thereof and a reversely curved edge et atL the opposite end 5 thereof. The lower longitudinal edge is provided with a rectilinear inwardly projecting flange 5, preferably turned at right angles to the body portion 4l, and the upper longitudinal edge is provided with a plu- 7 rality or series of graduated ledges or steps 6. Each of steps 6 is formed by edges parallel with the lower longitudinal straight edge at flange 5 and kwith other edges perpendicular to said straight edge.

"J A bracket 7 carrying a pair of upstanding apertured lugs is secured oblifpiely of plate 4 and pivotally carries the linger ring or handle 8 passing through the apertures in said lugs. Any other means for hinging a handle to the front side of plate l may of course be employed. By disposing the pivoted handle at an angle to the lower edge of plate t, the gauge will be prevented from slipping when a board is being measured.

The graduated ledges 6 have readings thereon to denote the thickness of various boards, in the gauge illustrated as running from -l/a4 to 8/4 inches.

The ledges or steps 6 on their vertical edges are provided with graduations preferably to the 16th of an inch, whereby a very accurate reading maybe taken in the manner described below.

Operation. i

The operation of the above described device is substantially as follows:

The sealer or operator grasps ring 8, preferably with the index linger of the hand, and holds the body l flush against the edge of the board to be measured, abutting flange 5 against the under side of the board, as shown in Figs. l and 3. The top surface of the board will then coincide with or lie adjacent one of the graduated ledges 6 and the operator may select the graduated ledge flush with or closest to the top surface of the board with the thumb of the hand grasping ring S, feeling the ledge and said top surface simultaneously. rEhe plate l may then be withdrawn and the reading taken from the ledge having the thumb thereon. If the thickness of the board is slightly greater than the graduated shoulder adjacent thereto indicates, the operator Will readily notice the difference when the gauging is done and will allow for the same in computing his reading.

lt will be obvious that the reading may be talien very quickly and that boards in a 'pile may be readily measured with my device. liumbcr is piled or stacked in transverse arrangement, thereby leaving the thickness of a board between each layer of boards so that there will always be sufficient space at the bottom of any board on the side of the pile to permit flange 5 to be inserted in operative position. i

The device has been put to extensive actual usage and has been found highly efficient for all the purposes intended.

It will of course be understood that varilll) ous changes may be made in the form, details; proportionsl and arrangement of parts Without departing from the scope of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. A lumber gauge comprising a body having a surface adapted toengage the side of a piece of material to be gauged, a handle secured to the opposite surface of said body, means adjacent one edge of said body adapted to abut an edge of said piece of material, said opposite edge of said body having a 'plurality of spaced projections thereon disposed in a line extending at an angle to said first mentioned edge and over which a finger of a hand grasping said handle may be moved to feel the top surface of the piece to be gauged', and to select the particular projection moet nearly flush therewith.

2. A lumber gauge comprising a. body having a flat surface adapted to engage a side of a piece of material to be gauged, a handle secured to the opposite surface of said body, means projecting' laterally of said surface and adjacent one edge of said body adapted to abut an edge of said piece of material, said opposite edge of said body being of stepped formation over which a finger of a hand grasping said handle may be moved tofeel` theJ top surface of the piece to' be gaugedg'and` to select the particular projection most nearly flush therewith.

3. A. lumber gauge comprising a plate adapted to be held against the side of a piece of material to be gauged, means projecting laterally of said plate and adjacent the lower edge of said plate adapted to abut an edge of said piece of material, a swing-- able handle hinged to said plate, the aXis of said hinge connection extending diagonally to said lower edge, said plate having a step shape upper edge over which a finger of a hand grasping said handle may be moved to feel the top surface of the piece to be gauged and to select the particular projection most nearlyY flush therewith.

4l. A lumber gauge comprising a fiat elongated plate adapted to be held against the side of a piece of material to be gauged, said plate having a portion extending at an angle to the body of the plate said portion being adapted to abut an edge of said piece of materiah a handle secured to said plate within nger reach of the upper edge thereof` and a plurality of steps on said upper edge over which a finger of a hand grasping said handlemay be moved to feel theltop surface of the piece to' be gauged and to select the particular step most nearly flush therewith. j

In testimony whereof he does affix his signature.

JOI-IN SCHERER. 

